Happiness is one of the concepts whose meaning eludes us as soon as we try to give it a precise definition. Everyone understands happiness in their own way. But what is it from a scientific point of view?
Happiness, whatever we mean by it, is too short-lived. We cannot enjoy it for long and spend most of our lives looking for new ways to make ourselves happy. Why is that?
University of Queensland psychology professor William von Hippel and his colleagues are studying happiness from an evolutionary perspective. They associate happiness with success, which we strive for in all areas of life – in a profession or creativity, in love and friendship.
And the data of numerous surveys conducted in the von Hippel laboratory show that periods of joy that success gives us are quickly replaced by dissatisfaction with ourselves and a thirst for new achievements.
History of happiness
William von Hippel tries to answer the main question – why happiness does not last long – in his book The Social Leap. He suggests that everything began three million years ago.
Then people moved to open spaces, which forced them to join forces. Such an association also had undeniable advantages. Together, people could resist the attacks of wild animals, natural disasters, they could cook food and equip their homes.
But at the same time, belonging to the community still had to be earned. And exile from it was tantamount to death. Which made the ancients come up with new ways to establish themselves in a society of their own kind. In the course were including lies, manipulation, the right of the strong. And under such conditions, success within the group guaranteed happiness, and to become an outcast meant to become unhappy.
Hunters who brought prey became honorary members of the community. But if one of them failed, he quickly lost his privileged status. Those who went in search of prey again and again, consolidated their leadership positions.
Hence the short duration of happiness – in order to survive it, one must again and again risk one’s life, developing territories, getting food, fighting for the sake of one’s community.
What are we striving for now?
The life of modern man has changed, but, in fact, obeys the same laws. Von Hippel argues that we still use remarkable ingenuity to win a place in society. Manipulation techniques are also different now, but their goal remains the same – to gain power.
“Humans are social animals,” von Hippel recalls. “We are ready to do anything to fit in with the group and, if necessary, we will see the world as this group wants to see it.”
However, today we are talking more and more about the rights of the individual, about the desire to be himself, and not part of any community. Because modern conditions of survival require from us, rather, the ability to live independently.
Proximity versus autonomy
Von Hippel believes that the contradiction between the need for psychological contact with others and the desire for personal autonomy will exist for a long time to come.
We strive for freedom, but what happens when we get it?
Many begin to miss their small homeland, the small city from which they were so eager to get out. They lack warmth and comfort, spiritual community, when every neighbor is like your own. But returning there, a person understands that he can no longer live in this system of relations.
Von Hippel believes that we can resolve this contradiction by maintaining warm relationships with loved ones, even in a big city. The results of research have shown that the longest time we are happy is with loved ones, friends, relatives. Yes, these relationships sometimes cause a lot of pain, but at the same time they allow us to feel understood and accepted.